USPS will unveil its “Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet” sheet of commemorative stamps today, kicking off a major 8-week promotion with an appearance by PMG Jack Potter on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The commemorative sheet of stamps continues a half-century tradition of promoting attention and awareness of national social issues. The set features photographs of 10 shelter pets adopted through the Animal Welfare Society of New Milford, CT. The stamps go on sale April 30 following a first-day-of-issuance (FDOI) ceremony at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in Hollywood.

The Postal Service is working with DeGeneres — a well-known advocate for pet adoption — and Halo, a pet food company she co-owns. As its contribution to the 8-week “Stamps to the Rescue” promotion, Halo will donate 1 million meals to animal shelters across the country. “This is a subject I am extremely passionate about,” said DeGeneres. “By working together, we can find good homes for millions of adoptable, homeless and abandoned pets.”

In addition to Potter’s appearance on the show, USPS is participating in the promotion with posters and counter cards in Post Offices. From April 30 through May 14, USPS will promote shelter pet adoption with a special cancellation on its automated equipment.

“These stamps continue a 50-year Postal Service tradition of bringing attention to serious social issues of the day — one letter at a time,” said Potter. “Our hope is these stamps will encourage pet adoption and promote humane and responsible pet care.”

Anticipating the popularity of the series, the Postal Service has printed 300 million stamps — 15 million sheets — and is prepared to print more if 7.5 million sheets are sold by the end of May.

Starting today at 9 a.m. ET, information on the stamps and promotion events is available on usps.com and also stamps to the rescue.com, a microsite developed to promote the stamps.

Source: USPS Newslink

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